Artificial bait.



R. T. WILSON.

ARTIFICIAL BAIT. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 19, I914.

Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

Paid/lard? W1 "0x77 S E S s E N W W INVENTOR ATTO RN EY integers.

era a cannon RICHARD '1. WILSON, OF HASTINGS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0MABEL WILSON, 0F HASTINGS, MICHIGAN.

ARTIFICIAL BAIT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. in, iota Application filed December 19, 1914. Serial No.878,115.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, RICHARD T. Wrnson, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hastings, in the county of Barry and State of Michigan, haveinvented a new and use ful Artificial Bait, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to artificial fish bait, and is designed toprovide a bait or lure which will simulate the movements of a liveminnow and will remain on the surface of the water while being drawnthere along.

The present invention comprises a buoyant body resembling a minnow, inform and provided with hooks or other means for catching fish, while thefront or forward closed at the rear end and expanding toward the frontend with an attaching mem- 4 her for the line, which member is usually atill swivel, secured to the bait at the bottom or inner end of thecavity. The result of this construction is that the bait when drawnalong will remain on the surface of the water and will travel in azigzag path closely resembling the actions of a mmnow, while atintervals of a few feet the bait will dive and immediately return to thesurface. Moreover, the cup shaped cavity at the front end of the baitthrows a spray. The various movements and efiects of the bait whilebeing drawn through the water are alluring to fish.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with thefurther understanding that while the drawings show a practical form ofthe invention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformity withthe showing of the drawings, but may be changed or modified so long assuch changes and modifications marl; no material departure from thesalient features of the invention.

Tn the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the bait. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section thereof with the hooks omitted and showingapproximately the position of the bait on diving, Fig. 3 is a frontelevation of the bait with the swivel omitted.

Referring to the-drawings there is shown an elongated body member 1 ofmore or less conoidal form. simulating generally the ap pearance of asmall fish, such as a minnow, wherefore the body may be described aspisciform. The body 1 is provided with a front or head end '2 which maybe approximately of as great diameter as the greatest diameter of thebody portion, and this head end joins the body portion by means of aneck 3 of somewhat less diameter merging into the head and body portionsby gentle curves.

The relatively widely expanded. head end has formed therein an enteringcavity 4: with the margins of the head defining a rim 5 about its cavityand this rim may be rounded or otherwise formed to'avoid sharp edges.The cavity dis conoidal or cup shaped and enters the head and neckaxially for an appropriate distance which with a bait of say four inchesin length may approximate one inch. The cavity is of greatest diameterat the outer or month end and from thence reduces in diameter to theinner or closed end, which closed end is a permanently closed endwithout outlet.

Secured to the body at the closed end of the cavity 4 in the line ofthelongitudinal axis of the body is a screw eye 6, or any other holdingdevice appropriate for the purpose. Connected to the eye 6 is a swivel 7of any appropriate form, and this swivel is designed to receive one endof a fish line 8. At appropriate points along the body 1 are other screweyes 9 or other similar fastening devices carrying fish hooks 1d of anyappropriate character.

The body 1 of the bait or lure may be made of wood or other buoyantmaterial. ,Which will float on water even with the hooks 10 attached.The line 8 is. made fast thi to the bait through the swivel in the axialline of the bait but at a considerable distance back of the front end ofthe bait.

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water to flow toward the top of the cavity and bein projected fromthence forwardly, thus producing more or less spray. At intervals theaction of the water in the cavity 4 is such as to divert the directionof travel of the bait in a manner to cause it to dive but this divingtendency is almost instantly overcome by the direction of pull of theline, the action of the water in the cavity and the buoyancy of thebait, wherefore the bait again returns to the surface. In actualpractice this diving and returning to the surface occurs every few feet,say every three or four feet of travel with the bait remaining duringthe interim upon the surface of the water where it rapidly zigzags orwiggles with an accompanying throw of spray.

this is highly alluring to fish which are attracted to the moving baitand are apparently deceived by the simulation of the movements of thebait to that of a minnow and by the agitation of the water, forexperience has shown that fish eagerly take the bait.

While the bait frequently dives as it travels along, it almost instantlyreturns to the surface and remains upon the surface for a longer timethan is taken in the diving, wherefore the bait is peculiarlya surfacebait and is under water but a small fraction of the time it is in use.

The peculiar actions of the bait are ascribed to the presence of thecavity 4 and the fact that the line is attached to the bait at amaterial distance back of its front end.

What is claimed is 1. An artificial bait comprising a pisciform buoyantbody having a laterally expanded front end formed with an enteringcavity, and means for the attachment of a line to the bait in turnattached to the bait at the inner end or bottom of the'cavity.

2. An artificial bait comprising an elongated buoyant body with alaterally expanded front end formed with an entering cav1ty insubstantially axial relation to the elongated body, and a swivelconnection for 3. Amartificial bait comprising an elongated body ofbuoyant materialhaving one end relatively wide and blunt and taperingtoward the other end, the blunt end having an axially disposed enteringcavity Wide at the entering end and narrowing toward and closed at theinner end, and means forthe attachment of a line in turn attached to thebody at the inner or narrow end of the cavity.

4. An artificial bait comprising 'a pisciform body of buoyant materialwith the front end relatively wide and blunt and there formed with anaxially disposed cavity tapering from the outer open end toward theinner end and there provided substantially inline with the longitudinalaxis of the body with means for the attachment of aline.

5. An artificial bait comprising a generally pisciform body of buoyantmaterial having the front or head end relatively wide and blunt andthere provided with an axially disposed entering cavity having itsentering or mouthend relatively wide and from thence narrowing totheinner end and there closed, a swivel connection for a line in turnconnected to the body at the inner or bottom end of the cavitysubstantially in line with the longitudinal axis of the body, and fishhooks fast to the body.

6. An artificial bait comprising a generally pisciform body of buoyantmaterial having a blunt front end with an axially disposed enteringcavity tapering toward the inner end and there closed and of a width atthe open end to define a relatively thin inclosing margin, and means forthe attachment of a line to the body at the inner or closed end of thecavity in substantially the longitudinal axis of the body.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD '1. WILSON.

Witnesses:

L. G. TOLHURST, H. G. HAYES.

